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Oakroyd Hall
Bradford Road
Birkenshaw
Bradford
BD11 2DY
01274 682311
OS Grid Reference - 420200 228100
Oakroyd Hall - Training Centre - Oakroyd Close - Oakroyd Drive - Mobilising and Communications Centre - Occupational Health and Safety - Transport/Supplies
Oakroyd Hall
Built in 1867 on what was the Halfway House Colliery. The house was occupied by several families until it was taken over by West Riding Council in 1947, when the premises were put to use as a home for children who had to be taken into care.
In 1951 the building passed into the hands of the War Department for use as an administrative and communication centre. Then in 1958 the building was again sold, this time to the County Council. Since 1964 it has been used as the Headquarters of the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, where the senior management have their offices.
The building also houses many other offices and includes the following departments: - Finance, Committee Services, Equalities and Recruitment, Public Relations, Corporate Services, Employment Services, Reprographics and Registry.
Training Centre
The centre was built in the mid-sixties and has kept pace with technology and training demands through a series of upgrades and modernisation programmes.
The main building contains classrooms, lecture theatre, dining area, offices, and sleeping accommodation.
The BA complex contains a classroom, breathing apparatus servicing area, basement exercise (crawl) area and a gymnasium. This and the adjacent land are currently being expanded and improved to provide an internal rope rescue training area and additional offices and classrooms
The Multi Purpose Training Centre (MPTC) has been designed primarily for breathing apparatus exercises. It has real fire capability and is fitted with 2 LPG compartment fire rooms and 1 LPG cooker fire simulator.
The oil tray facility is situated next to the drill square and allows students the opportunity to experience a large oil fire scenario. At the other side of the tower stands a training tower and a crane tower, for use in rescue at height simulations.
Oakroyd Close
Two detached houses and a pair of semi-detached houses, which were originally built in the late 1960s, are located here. Initially these provided accommodation for senior officers and the caretaker.
Operational Equipment Team, Fire Brigades Union, Computer Aided Design Team, Operational Risk Management Team, Integrated Risk Management Planning department offices now occupy these. The first house on the Close is a private house.
Oakroyd Drive
Again built in the late 1960s, these four pairs of semi-detached properties have been used to provide extra accommodation for people attending residential training courses, and for offices.
Fire Safety group, Emergency Planning, Property Management Unit, Visual Services and the Operational department offices now occupy these.
Mobilising and Communication Centre (MACC)
In 1961 the decision was made to centralise the reception of fire calls and the mobilising of appliances to the Birkenshaw site. The work was completed in 1964 and the Control was situated in the basement of the building. The control has seen several changes over the subsequent decades including an extension in the late 1970s and a refurbishment in 1999/2000.
The Information Technology and Communications offices as well as the Hydra training suite now also occupy the building.
Occupational Health and Safety Unit
Built in the late 1980s, this unit consists of ground floor offices, utilised by the Occupational Health Team and the Health and Safety Team and first floor sleeping accommodation utilised by training centre to facilitate residential courses.
Transport/Supplies Building
Built in the 1960s, this large warehouse/office building houses Supplies, Stores, Transport (workshops, body shop and Fleet control) and the Electronics departments.